Thanks Suzanne.  I'm not sure yet what they will recommend for me.  I know I can't take these blood sugar swings.  I either get a severe headache from it going up, or get shaky, dizzy, nauseated, and confused when it dips low.  I'm basically on a diet of protein and veggies.  Most fruits are too much sugar for me.  They've offered me Octreotide, but I don't want to have to inject myself every time I eat and I don't like its side effects.  We'll see what the doc says.

You couldn't get me to travel to Mexico for anything.  Nothing disparaging about the WLS docs there, just basic instability of the country.  Not worth being shot by some drug cartel idiot to get WLS.

Glad you had a good experience.

Linda

Hi,

I think I read that they may have a Bariatiic doctor at Riverbend.  But, I would NOT have this surgery done in Eugene.  I highly recommend Dr. Aceves in Mexicali Mexico.  He is top rated by far and a much better surgeon than anyone that I found when I did my research. He has done over 1000 of these surgeries.

I was working with a friend of mine who is an nurse and she checked out Dr. Aceves--and that is how I found out about him She had lost weight and so I asked her where she had gone for this surgery.  I respected her and her judgment so very much since she was a professional. At first I thought she was crazy for going to Mexicali, Mexico when she first told me.  So I started checking on the Internet to find out what he was like. She told me to check him out and go on some of these boards and see what his previous patients had to say about him--and that is just what I did.  I learned that he has done more weight loss surgeries than most US doctors.  He is highly educated and has taught some US doctors the "sleeve" surgery that I had.  His hospital has less of an infection rate that any US hospital.  I was a self pay patient, so I wanted the very best I could find for my money. 

Dr. Aceves does the revision surgery that you want to have.  He and his team of staff are the most caring,kind surgeons and well educated medical people I have ever been around.  He does his surgery in an excellent hospital and they take excellent care of you.  While I was in the hospital I saw 2 doctors 3 times a day. I had the surgery on a Tuesday and flew back to Portland on a Friday.  They tested my new "sleeve" 3 times before they would let me come home.

The cost was by far less than any US doctor and hospital wanted to do this surgery--if I could have found a doctor with the skills that he had I probably would have had it done here.  I think he has lower his price now or has been running some specials.  I paid $9,000 for my surgery.  I would NEVER consider having WLS in the US after some of the things I have heard.  Dr. Aceves's fee covers doctors, hospital stay, medication and all test that they run. Also one night in a very nice hotel before the surgery. 

I flew into San Diego--which was the only thing I paid extra for.  They send a driver to pick you up and others who are having surgery all at the San Diego Airport--it is about 1.5 hours drive and the time goes fast because all of us were talking about the surgery we were going to be having.  Ernesto is the driver and he is excellent and has also had "sleeve" surgery and when it is time for you to come home he drives you back to San Diego.  They would NEVER send you home if they didn't think you were going to be OK. If I had any questions once I got home I could call and talk with them.  I also was very lucky that my primary care doctor here in Eugene did any after care that I might need.  All I needed was a blood panel run every few months. 

I am off of about 90% of the medication that I used to take.  Having the sleeve was the best choice I have every made.  You will never have any of the problems that you are having now.

If you would like to get together sometime I am more than happy to meet with you and answer any questions that you might have.

I also went back to Mexicali with a very dear and close friend of mine who had the same surgery that I had with Dr. Aceves.  She feels the same way I feel about him.

Thanks for asking me, but if it were me I would NOT have any doctor here in the US do this surgery.  You have been sick and I understand your wanted to have the revision.  This is about your health and why not have the best doctor you can have when it comes to your health?

Hugs,
Suzanne

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to read it.  We are all different people and our bodies do differnt things.  Just do what works best for you.

Enjoy your day!

Hugs,
Suzanne

Hi,

Where do you want to be in 1 year from now? When I had weight loss surgery, I had no idea how long it was going to take me to lose weight; I was older than most of you and everyone l drops their weight at different speeds. Most all of us ladies know that men lose much faster than we do. For me it took me about 14 months to lose 105 pounds. I was thrilled it only took me that long. I know when I started this journey like the rest of you I wanted it to just melt off of me.

 As first it felt like it was, but I knew that would slow down and it did. What I want you to do it take it in small steps. Set you goals by weeks or by a month, and DO NOT put yourself down if you don’t reach that goal. Remember we are all individuals. I had a walking buddy and she was good to keep me motivated and when she was down I did the same for her. She had sleeve surgery with Dr. Aceves about 6 months after I had mine. I was honored when she asked me to go with her for her surgery.

Mix things up, become creative with your food ideas. I actually have become a much better cook now that I am healthy and at my goal weight, but that didn’t happen overnight. I started searching out recipes that I could incorporate in my lifestyle and something that taste great and that my husband and I both would eat. Find the protein that you like and find 50 different ways to cook with it and watch your carbs. Chicken happens to be a protein that I use the most. Those sneaky carbs have a way of messing up your weight loss. If you are eating carbs make them WHOLE GRAIN carbs, not whole wheat—the key word is Whole Grain. Summer is coming along find some great salads and put your protein in along with a little fresh fruit—like strawberries and then make the salad your entire meal. Watch the dressing that you are using. I learned to NOT put the dressing on my salad, but dip my forks into the dressing and with every bite I always get dressing.

So look at the calendar and put a goal in your mind where you would like to be one year from today. Some will be there and some will not. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too big of a goal. I also used to like to look at catalog or magazines that had beautiful clothes that I wanted to be able to buy when I reached my goal. Looking at these beautiful clothes kept me from eating too. 

Do what works best for you. I will admit I have bought a lot of new clothes once I reached my goal. If you haven’t picked your doctor yet I would like to tell you the Dr. Aceves is the very best that you can have for your surgery. If you have any questions about him, I am more than happy to answer anything you would like to know. I wanted the best I could have and after a lot of research and talking to people on these boards, I knew he was the one.

 I wish you great success, remember do this one day at a time. If you had a bad day the good news is that day ends and you can start all over the next day.  

Hugs, Suzanne
Sleeved 10/210/2008